From 0e748b90caad0c76879aec3b94021e0749acfa1b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: iamnbutler <iamnbutler@github.com>
Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2026 14:47:38 -0400
Subject: [PATCH 1/2] feat(host): run demo mode in the installed app from a
 demo.json in its home

---
 apps/host/src/helper.ts | 6 ++++--
 docs/demo.md            | 3 +++
 2 files changed, 7 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/apps/host/src/helper.ts b/apps/host/src/helper.ts
index 9b918b8d..7e3ceac2 100644
--- a/apps/host/src/helper.ts
+++ b/apps/host/src/helper.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { Console } from "node:console";
-import { createWriteStream, mkdirSync } from "node:fs";
+import { createWriteStream, existsSync, mkdirSync } from "node:fs";
 import { basename, dirname, join } from "node:path";
 
 import { adoptLoginShell } from "./environment";
@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@ if (cli) {
 	console.log(`${new Date().toISOString()} Ace Helper starting`);
 	try {
 		const { serve } = await import("./gateway");
-		await serve(config.port);
+		// The installed app takes no flags, so a demo script in its home stands in for --demo.
+		const demo = join(config.home, "demo.json");
+		await serve(config.port, false, existsSync(demo) ? demo : undefined);
 	} catch (error) {
 		console.error(error);
 		log.end(() => process.exit(1));
diff --git a/docs/demo.md b/docs/demo.md
index 501656dd..c9a588c7 100644
--- a/docs/demo.md
+++ b/docs/demo.md
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@ channel requests, which each channel admits by its own rules: an ask needs the c
 access on, as a real teammate's would. Only their identities are made up, and only in the owner's
 own app; the directory, lobbies and peers never see them.
 
+The installed app runs demo mode when its home holds `demo.json`, such as
+`~/.local/state/ace-canary/demo.json` for Canary; restart Ace after adding or removing it.
+
 Seed the channels first with `ace import` (see [channel data](data.md#seeds)).
 
 ```json

From 18b2ddc5754e9f0a9b0164436568f8829bf6a83b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: iamnbutler <iamnbutler@github.com>
Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2026 14:47:51 -0400
Subject: [PATCH 2/2] chore: confirm lane notes

---
 ...M4V5N7FNEDME70ADSQF5H00A-helpers-must-stay-first-on-t.md | 6 +++---
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 3 deletions(-)

diff --git a/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/helper.ts/01M4V5N7FNEDME70ADSQF5H00A-helpers-must-stay-first-on-t.md b/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/helper.ts/01M4V5N7FNEDME70ADSQF5H00A-helpers-must-stay-first-on-t.md
index 50640f65..4f62c773 100644
--- a/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/helper.ts/01M4V5N7FNEDME70ADSQF5H00A-helpers-must-stay-first-on-t.md
+++ b/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/helper.ts/01M4V5N7FNEDME70ADSQF5H00A-helpers-must-stay-first-on-t.md
@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: '@file'
 created: 2026-10-13T17:41:10Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 4b03c8eb05d682d4
-body_hash: adbd543604639735
-raw_hash: e46f8fb89f55f772
-vouched: 2026-10-15T14:10:43Z
+body_hash: c6a92431f39aeeb2
+raw_hash: ab581bbaf4052fed
+vouched: 2026-10-20T18:47:51Z
 lines: 1-39
 ---